Matt Farah has a saying that goes something like this: “the number of cars an enthusiast owns is only limited by two things: money and space.” As in, if it weren’t for a finite amount of money to spend on vehicles, and a finite amount of space to store said vehicles, an enthusiast would be perpetually buying and collecting cars as they go, always building up their collection. Truer words may have never been spoken.

Today in our Friday Fun mind-cleanse, we’re going with half of that perfect scenario. Let’s say you have all the money you could possibly imagine, but your garage is limited to room for five vehicles and, for whatever reason it may be, you absolutely do not want to store cars off-premises. We’ll call it the Five-Car Free-For-All. Five cars, no financial constraints. What would you buy?

Realistically, none of us have the time to play the opposite half of this game in which we have a limited amount of money but can buy an unlimited number of cars. I mean, we all know how that would likely go for most: “I bought five hundred $5000 cars and spent the rest on the three that I really want!” So for now at least let’s stick to the task at hand. Unlimited money, limited bays in the garage.

I’m setting “parameters” for this one, with the quotes playing an important part since it is technically a fully hypothetical scenario in which you can really go with whatever you want, but for the sake of forcing some thinking. Those parameters? Other than a five-car limit, try to make them five different styles of car at least. If not, no harm, no foul. Anyways, have at it.

We’ll play this one again in a few months and I damn-near guarantee everyone has at least one car in their “garage” that’s different. Here’s my picks, for anyone who cares. Let the record show that I wrote this on Monday, so by Tuesday morning things could very well have changed.

Miata RF with swappable LS3 and turbo-4 engines

Unlimited money affords ready-to-be-swapped-in engines already prepped for installation. Few new vehicles pique my interest like the Miata RF and, while the four-pot is adequate for daily driving, I’d want a bit more oomph on tap for when the time comes. A perfect package this most certainly would be.

Source: Autoblog

RS7 Performance

I was in love with the RS7 from the first time I laid eyes on one, and Jason’s video only made that even more so. It’s the perfect German land missile, a gorgeous but still somewhat subtle car that’s nowhere near as visually aggressive as its performance would lead you to believe. Among the quickest sedans in the world, it’s also extremely practical, extremely comfortable, and one hell of a looker.

Source: Jalopnik

MKIV Supra

It might be dated by today’s standards, and it might be slow by today’s standards, but the body of this thing is one of the icons that I’ll never stop drooling over. Add in the addicting boost and exhaust noises of a well-tuned 2JZ, and it’s an absolute legend. I’ll take mine with about ~450 horsepower to the wheels, targa roof off, and a suspension setup that is capable of both mild drifting and some autocross as well.

Also, how freakin’ great is this press image? Click link, laugh, then drool as the ’90s-ness overwhelms you. So good.

Source: Porsche

911.2 GTS

The perfect daily driver that’s also a monster of a performer and a blast on a back-road, the GTS splits the line in the 911 lineup and nestles itself in as the car I could likely drive to the highest percentage of its ability while also knowing it won’t bite my head off. With an interior that basically caresses you and a platform to make nearly every other car in production jealous, it’s one of the cars on sale today that I’d be happiest to daily, and to drive hard on a track as well. [At the moment I’m writing this, at least]

Source: Recoil Magazine

4Runner TRD Pro w/5.7L i-FORCE V8 swap

Not that the V6 in the current 5th-gen 4Runner is a bad engine by any means, but there’s always room for improvement. Logical solution: V8 swap, pulling the big V8 from its brethren, the Tundra. It’s by no means the best V8 out there, but it would be cool to see an in-family swap, and being that the 4th-gen 4Runner had a V8 option it *could* theoretically be done (though admittedly it was a much smaller displacement engine). Throw a bunch of armor and off-road-oriented accouterments on the truck while keeping it comfortable enough and reliable enough to drive cross-country to the trails out west and also still utilitarian enough to tow a moderately sized trailer, and you have my ideal do-it-all four-by-four.

The best part of this game? There’s still infinite imaginary cash leftover to spend on using those five to their fullest potential. So, how about you? Where’s your money going if you have no dollar limit but a constraint on space? Five white Countaches (or is it Countach??)? Five PT Cruisers, prepped for demolition derby? Five (running) Hemi-swapped 1984 Mercedes 300TD wagons? Let us know in the comments.

For that special night on the town. Why get a Rolls, or Bently, when you can have good ol’ ‘murcan (via Australia) V8 power.

Sjalabais

For commuting and getting the kids to and fro, I’d take a Volvo 1800ES with V60 Polestar underpinnings. No giveaways. Original looks inside and out, but all the convenience, reliability and oomph of a 2017 model.

Number four is the hardest, because I really don’t “need” anything beyond that. I’ve long lusted after a Packard straight eight or Doble E. A belly tank racer would be neat, too. So that would probably be my rotational space.

My wife will be content with an electric Kia Soul, our eco-alibi, forever bugging me why we have five cars anyway.

New Ford GT for racecar.
New Mustang Convertible to go to Dairy Queen (and run over pedestrians)
New Lincoln Continental to cross legs in back seat
New F-150 for carrying crap
New, functionally (and tastefully) modified 2 door Wrangler for off roading

Don’t care much about supercars, but, boy, what a selection. You certainly don’t need that chainsaw anymore to get firewood…just drive into the forest at full throttle and pick up what you need for the winter .

Truth be told, I’m not a huge supercar fan either, they’re cool, but more something I’d like a go in, then hand back the keys. I mentioned it before but the difference between a supercar and sports car is that sports cars are about purity and supercars are about viscerality. Sports cars are more satisfying more of the time.

In reality, if I did find myself a squillionaire in the morning, the GT86 and RR would be the first thing I’d buy, simply because there’s nothing more I really want in a car than the GT86, and it’s new with a dealer warranty. I could just focus on actually driving. I know. The rangie isn’t for me really. I know it’s kind of funny I’d be inclined to spend more on my wifes daily than me, my wife isn’t high maintenance by any means, but she does have some joint problems despite being in her 30s, so a focus on comfort, and her tastes in a car are so different to mine. She likes luxury and gadgets and would happily let the car drive for her once autonomy comes in, I like simplicity, I even find using a hands free phone kit a distraction. Just give me a decent driving position, decent seat, reasonable stereo, aircon (Ireland is very wet, so this is incredibly useful for visibility), rwd, limited slip diff and a decent naturally aspirated engine and I’m happy than a pig in the proverbial. It’s what I’d drive most the time, I’m wouldn’t be crazy about the sort of attention, even positive that supercar would give you. Maybe it makes me an asshole, but I don’t always want to have a petrol station forecourt conversation with every top gear watching armchair enthusiast who asks me the same three/four questions requests (she must be hoor on juice?, how much did it cost? what’ll she do? go on, diff her up the road!) all the time or constantly have a smartphone pointed at me.

However, the McLaren really does break the supercar mould, it is truly special. I would describe it, not so much a supercar, but to borrow Mclarens modern marketing phrase, it really is a Super-Sports-Car. 1160KG, yet has a naturally aspirated V12. Despite the staggering figures, I still think it would be a delight even on real roads. I’ve posted it before, but this vid sums up just how special it is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4bziUYnN8Mg

I do wonder if I’d get fed up of the attention something like this needs though, yes you can “pay a man”, but you need to know the right people to pay, and arrange logistics, like getting it transported away every so often, even with money and other people doing things for you, it will still take your time and mental energy. Happiness comes from experience, not ownership, perhaps those Ferrari FXX programs where they take the car away after you’ve done your trackday make sense after all?

Have always loved the idea of something track focused, the Rocket like the F1 is truly special and bespoke, but that nature makes me wonder if like the F1 its suited to being really used regularly, because if I have that much money, I’m going to every damn track day in Mondellos (my nearest track) calendar, and maybe Anglesea too. Could substitute it for a BAC mono, but truth be told, I do wonder if it’s a massively better experience than a Caterham or Fury?

Yeah, I guess in this scenario, having someone else take care of and schedule every bit of maintenance with the cars comes with the dream. I wouldn’t want to own five cars if all the upkeep was on me. Just changing the tires every season, blørg.

The only times I got any attention for my cars were the ’77 242 and ’71 145 – old Volvos. They certainly don’t attract the supercar crowd. Gas station conversation of the “I used to have one”-kind were actually kind of pleasant.

crank_case

Yeah, because if someone talks to you about a Volvo, it’s a fellow car nerd or someone nostalgic for their own past. A Lamborghini or other high status car has all sorts of social baggage. Even the RR gives me second thoughts for property developer celtic tiger cub associations. Maybe an XC90?

Even with someone else taking care of the schedule, I don’t think that’d quite work to reduce the mental energy devoted to it, you’ll never really resist the urge to correspond with people to make sure everything is being done right, I’m not saying its the biggest burden in the world, a total FWP, but anything like a McClaren would literally have to be shipped out of this country, on a boat or plane every so often for even the most mundane things. Perhaps breaking the offsite storage rule but keeping with 5, just go full on race car – a Mazda 787B permanently garaged at Spa-Francoshamps.

At the end of they day, the Toyota is the best hassle to pleasure ratio at any price. There’s a dealer in every town, it doesn’t require the attention of someone who is half Gandalf / half Brunel. I can enjoy it everywhere. It says a lot that even with the world as your oyster, I still go back to simple sports cars like this or the MX5. Even wealthy people still like steak and chips.

neight428

A good list! I purposefully excluded Mrs. Neight’s concerns for transportation as I am so inconceivably stupid rich in this scenario that her transportation needs will be contracted out to someone professionally operating a vehicle that we don’t own. I would likely express my preference to said well incentivized professional for something along the lines of what you have chosen with a similarly equipped sedan option for such times when she doesn’t feel like stepping up in to a vehicle that particular day.

Jofes2

Lancia Gamma Coupé. This is my GT-car for idyllic summer days of adventurously roadtripping around the continent and having road side picnics in the grass. It’s stylish, but not in a boastful, insecure way. It doesn’t scream “look at me”, it just states “I see you have very good taste looking this way, now please enjoy.” Also fun and special without being too impractical or uncomfortable on a longer journey.

Saab 900 5-door. For more everyday situations when the Lancia is too cramped or too fragile but I still want to express “me.” Slightly more casual. If the Lancia is a style-conscious but relaxed shirt, this is a warm sweater that’s worn but close to heart.

Range Rover. For shitty winter weather, snow, mud and bad roads and when in need of cargo space. Not my favorite thing to be seen in, but comfy, practical and a good complement to the others. A thick, expensive winter jacket with lots of pockets.

Daft question (I’m not from the US), but what is a Diamante? Is is some sort of derivative of another Mopar model? Looks cool as hell.

0A5599

By VIN, it is a Hemi Challenger convertible, which is already extremely rare, with a total production of 9 units (excluding this one, I think). It has the lowest serial number of any convertible Hemi ‘Cuda or Challenger. Dodge sent it on the show circuit, initially as the Yellow Jacket, but then restyled it as above. The middle of the car is essentially stock production car: doors, firewall, windshield, and interior from the front seats forward (it was converted to a two seater).

Usually, at the end of a season or two, show cars get discarded and crushed. Of those that survive into collector hands how many of those are built on top of production items already worth seven figures in stock form?

I dunno, you could throw the mother in law in the flat bed for the lols. Win win.

(I joke, my mother in law is lovely and barking mad, and would probably brush off the experience as if it were nothing)

outback_ute

Hmm, there are possibilities for Subaru Brat style seats… Could probably sell tickets for that!

I’ve driven a sedan GTS and they have the power to get to big speeds very quickly and the grip to dislodge most things from the bed if not strapped down, so it would make a good ground-based rollercoaster.

Hell, whatever, G65 AMG, I don’t care. I just need something comfortable for towing and general reliability at this point.http://i.imgur.com/ONNnzbN.jpg

crank_case

Huge contrast between the first two and the Russian Oligarch G-Class, but hey, you gotta have diversity right?

Krautwursten

I just wanted something comfortable and tow-capable, and all the other SUVs are unnecessarily utilitarian at the expense of comfort – or simply too damn big. Not gonna drive around Europe in a Dodge F-350 King Laramie Sierra HD.

Also it’s got a V12, and you gotta have a V12 in your garage. I4, I6, V4, V6, V8, V12, all there.

crank_case

I’d be tempted to rock a US style truck, but I know what you mean, you’d be straddling the white line on a lot of rural roads. I’ve actually got two V12s in my garage, the Tatra also has a multifuel V12.

GTXcellent

5 cars, oh boy.

First: I’m going to stick with our SS. That car is truly perfection and I plain love it.

Second: I’ve owned the car 22 years and there’s no way I’m parting with it – I want my 1968 Plymouth GTX, but restored to show car condition (but trust me, I’ll still drive it)

Third: A ’64-’66 Chevy C-10, long box, with all modern underpinnings (other than it will have 15″ wheels and not a micron bigger!). Basically the ICON treatment for my personal favorite pickup.

Fifth: An insanity vehicle. Can’t get much more insane than a Koenigsegg. I’ll take that new Regera please.

neight428

You could get a diesel with an exhaust brake in the C10 to offset the relatively inferior stopping power of brakes that fit inside 15’s and/or get one of those axle mounted brakes fabbed up on the rear diff. The great part of the “cost is no object” thought experiments is imagining a world without compromises.

GTXcellent

’90-’91 Suburbans/Blazers had 15″ wheels and offered disc brakes and ABS. That’s plenty of stopping power for a truck that weighs over a full ton less. I’d also be willing to bet that one of hot rod specialists – Wilwood, Brembo, etc. build a plenty capable 15″ disc brake system as well.

I’ve actually imagined/dreamt about building this truck a lot. LSA (even though everyone and his brother seems to run a LS, they’re still one of the lightest and most powerful V8s you can get), a ‘blasphemous’ 8L90 transmission, simple bench seat. I get hung up on color choice though – some days it’s a super bright blue, other days root-beer brown, and still others I lean toward shades of orange/red. It’s fun to dream.

neight428

NASCAR still runs 15’s now that I think about it, you could definitely figure out a way to make it work.

I think it would be cool to ask this same question, but you can only pick cars from the year you were born.

ptschett

As someone born in 1981 I have to vehemently disagree. The best vehicle that was launched in my year was destroyed on re-entry on its 28th mission in 2003 thanks to a piece of external tank insulating foam that fell off and impacted the leading edge of the left wing during ascent.

mfbseth

Ohhhh c’mon. There’s gotta be at least one car you could conjur up from ’81, especially since money is unlimited so drivetrain replacement possibilities are endless.

Wayward David

I’m a couple of days late to the discussion, but I’ll gladly take that challenge:

I’d still want my 2015 Challenger, the 2017 Ram 1500 I have on order, and my ’96 Thunderbird; I’d add a motorcycle that falls in the Suzuki V-strom 650 to Kawasaki KLR650 range. …and I guess some kind of grocery getter like a Pentastar-powered Dodge Avenger to round out the fleet.

so, if it needs to be surface transportation that must be able to go on the road way, that would limit a lot of choices. no helicopter, no F-106, no hovercraft( though that could be possible), no ships. steam locomotives are out,too huh?
so, if i were a democrat and spending other peoples money what would i get that i don’t have now or haven’t already done?
1: HEMIT. goes where all others fear to tread.
2: M2 Bradley because you can put really big beer coolers in the back. great for hunting season too!
3: Bentley continental gt. drophead coupe. Wretched excess is a requirement.
4: Studebaker Hawk GT 1963. with C6 Vette running gear and power train.
5: Stutz Bearcat. minimalist at heart.

cap’n fast

to lust for a Volvo. that is just sick. nice enough car, but seriously, to LUST FOR A VOLVO?